Category: Articles

Israel’s government is expected to limit the entry of Jews to the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

At a meeting, Israel’s security forces were asked to close the Temple Mount to Jews during the final 10 days of the month as was done in previous years. MK Itamar Ben-Gvir shouted during the discussion, “Even the Bennet government didn’t limit entry like you want to. The previous government closed the site for nine days, and the defense establishment wanted 10. I don’t think we need to close the Temple Mount to Jews at all.”

Whether the prior government closed the Temple Mount for nine or ten days doesn’t matter. The decision to close then, as with the government now, is nothing more than a continuation of Israel caving to terror and it must STOP!

Source:
Government to limit Jewish entry to Temple Mount during Ramadan, by Israel National News, February 19, 2023

The Coalition announced Wednesday afternoon that a planned vote on the Override Clause, a key element of the judicial reform plan, has been cancelled. The Override Clause is a controversial amendment to the country’s Basic Laws which would explicitly empower the Knesset to veto Supreme Court rulings overturning Knesset laws and curb judicial activism by the high court.

Coalition chairman Ofir Katz said the decision to nix the planned votes was made in response to the request by President Isaac Herzog. It was done to foster goodwill between the Coalition and the Opposition and in the hopes of facilitating talks towards a compromise. This was denied by MK Simcha Rothman and Justice Minister Yariv Levin.

Despite this, the passage of the judicial reform plan will continue without delay. MK Rothman remains firm on his goal: “Returning power to the Israeli democratic process and bringing Israel in line with almost every known Western democracy.”

Sources:
Coalition cancels vote on key bill in judicial reform package, by Hezki Baruch/Israel National News, February 15, 2023

Returning power to democracy: Understanding the Israeli judicial reform, by MK Simcha Rothman/Israel National News, February 15, 2023

The bill to repeal the Disengagement Act of 2005, was passed by the Knesset in a preliminary reading on Wednesday by a majority of 62 to 36.

This shameful bill decreed the expulsion of close to 10,000 Jews from the Gaza Strip and northern Samaria. It was enacted following Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s decision on what he termed euphemistically the “disengagement plan.” The terms “uprooting” and “exiling” of thousands of Jews seemed too real at the time.

There are many bad memories and haunting images the Jewish residents of this area had and still remember. With the first positive step taken yesterday to repeal the Disengagement Act of 2005, we pray they can look forward to a future that wipes out the evil endured during that terrible time.

Source:
Knesset Passes in 1st Reading a Bill Revoking Shameful ‘Disengagement Act’, by David Israel/Jewish Press, February 16, 2023

Israeli security forces on Wednesday morning evacuated a vineyard in Samaria’s Shiloh Valley belonging to Chen Ben Eliyahu’s Meshek Ahiya. The evacuation followed a 2021 High Court ruling that ordered the Civil Administration to destroy some 42 acres of vines.

MK Bezalel Smotrich sent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an irate letter headlined: “Urgent! The displacement of a vineyard in Binyamin due to delays in implementation of the agreement to transfer powers to the Civil Administration and the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories.”

Despite the orders of Netanyahu to halt the demolition, security forces resumed the destruction of the Jewish owned orchard in Samaria Wednesday. Let’s remember Netanyahu’s campaign promises. Now it’s time for him to keep them. Transfer of powers to Smotrich is required by the coalition agreement and must happen without further delay.

Sources:
Security forces resume demolishing Jewish grove after PM orders halt, by Israel National News, February 15, 2023

Smotrich Threatens Netanyahu over Uprooting of Shiloh Vineyard, Multiple Arrests, by David Israel/Jewish Press, February 15, 2023

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich vowed on Tuesday to promote unrestrained construction in Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, despite opposition from the Biden administration.

Smotrich said that the government needs to remove all restrictions on fully developing Judea and Samaria. “This area must be treated exactly as any other part of the State of Israel, and that is what will happen.”

Source:
Smotrich vows unrestrained building in Judea and Samaria despite US opposition, by JNS, February 14, 2023

Senior Likud officials and their coalition partners said Monday that they would continue the judicial reform process despite President Isaac Herzog’s call Sunday for a pause in the Knesset committee discussions and votes so that the sides could negotiate a compromise.

While acknowledging that “there are positive elements” in the president’s proposal, Justice Minister Yariv Levin said that talks between the Opposition and coalition “should not be linked to the progress of the legislative procedures” so that they do not “become a means of foot-dragging to delay and prevent a substantial and significant reform in the judicial system.”

MK Simcha Rothman said he “welcomes the president’s initiative to hold real talks” and would be “happy to sit, without any delay, through the mediation of the president and wherever he chooses, with any representative of the opposition who wishes to do so” – but without any “preconditions,” such as delaying the legislative process.

Rothman did not budge from his stand that the details of the laws themselves had to be thrashed out in the Knesset, “the representative of the people,” because that is the only place where legislating can and should take place, he said, referencing former Supreme Court Justice and Israel Prize winner Moshe Zilberg.

All the opposition can do is respond with riots, screaming and shouting matches. That speaks volumes about what kind of changes they would like to see in the judicial reforms. To date, we have not heard any suggestions they wish to see. Have you?

Source:
Judicial reform passes first reading, despite president’s call for a pause and rowdy opposition, by Batya Jerenberg/World Israel News, February 13, 2023

In response to the murderous terrorist attacks in Jerusalem, the Security Cabinet decided unanimously to authorize nine communities in Judea and Samaria.

Some of these communities have existed for many years, if not decades. It was agreed to authorize:

1. Avigil
2. Bet Hogla
3. Givat Harel / Haroeh
4. Givat Arnon
5. Mitzpe Yehuda
6. Malachei Hashalom
7. Ashael
8. Sde Boaz
9. Shaharit

The Civil Administration Higher Planning Committee will be convened in the coming days to approve the construction of new residential units in existing communities in Judea and Samaria.

The Sovereignty Movement responded to the news: “A new spirit is filling the land, a spirit of return to Zionist values, settlement, construction, and love for the Land of Israel…..we welcome the steps taken by the new government that restore the people in Israel to the Zionist vision of a sovereign Jewish state in our country.” Read their full statement.

Source:
Security Cabinet authorizes 9 communities in Judea and Samaria, by Israel National News, February 12, 2023

Two very young boys were was murdered, and five others were injured – three critically, among them a child, and two moderately – in a car-ramming attack in Jerusalem on Friday afternoon at a bus stop in the Ramot neighborhood. One of the victims, Alter Shlomo Lederman, died in the hospital shortly afterwards. Lederman, a 20-year-old yeshiva student who had gotten married two months ago, was on his way with his wife to his parents’ home for Shabbat. Another of the wounded, father of the two young boys who were murdered has been getting worse since first hospitalized.

Just this afternoon a 17-year-old male was wounded in a terrorist stabbing attack in the Old City of Jerusalem. Roughly two hours later, a 20-year-old man was stabbed by a 13 year old at the Anatot checkpoint near the Arab neighborhood of Shuafat in eastern Jerusalem. He was in critical condition and has now died of his wounds.

It’s clear that the PA’s response to the new Netanyahu “right-wing” government is to attack Israel at every chance possible and over the last few weeks that is exactly what is taking place. Abu Mazzen has stated that as fact. What will be the government’s response to put a stop to this brutal carnage?

Sources:
Two killed in Jerusalem terror ramming, including 6-year-old boy; driver shot dead, by Emanuel Fabian/Times of Israel, February 10, 2023

2 Jerusalem attacks by teen terrorists in 2 hours, 20-year-old in critical condition, by World Israel News Staff, February 13, 2023

Over 2,000 people are expected to stay and celebrate the seder night in Evyatar together with local families. They will also be celebrating the Exodus of the Jewish nation from Egypt together with the return of families to Evyatar.

The Nachala Movement believes that the government will allow the families and the Yeshiva who were evacuated from Evyatar to return to their homes over the next month.

Source:
Returning to Evyatar: Thousands expected to gather in Evyatar for Passover Seder, by Israel National News, February 10, 2023

After weeks of angry demonstrations every Saturday night and threats of strikes against the “fascistic” legislation to reform the Judicial Selection Committee, on Tuesday, MK Simcha Rothman, Chair of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, published his bill, titled, Basic Law: The Judiciary (Amendment No. 3, Strengthening the Separation of Branches of Government).

Here’s a glance at portions of the bill scheduled to be submitted to the plenum for the first reading next Monday:

Amendment to clause 4 of Basic Law: The Judiciary. In clause 4 Subsection (B) is replaced by the following:
The committee will have nine members, who will be:
(a) The President of the Supreme Court, as well as two retired judges to be appointed by the Justice Minister, with the approval of the Supreme Court President
(b) The Justice Minister and two other ministers are chosen by the government
(c) Three Knesset Members including the Chair of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, and two MKs, one from the coalition and one from the opposition, as will be determined by the law
The Justice Minister will chair the committee.

Rothman also snuck in a clause that has nothing to do with the protocol of appointing judges but is significantly more important than the majority of the bill.
Judicial Review Regarding the validity of a Basic Law:
15a. Whoever has judicial authority according to law, including the Supreme Court, is not required, directly or indirectly, to rule about the validity of a Basic Law and there will not be any validity to a ruling made in the aforementioned matter. It means that should the Knesset decide to upgrade legislation to the level of a Basic Law, the court does not have the power to overrule, revoke, annul, or cancel it.

It’s clear that judicial reforms are well underway to becoming a reality and nothing can stop what is coming. It’s all good for Israel.

Source:
There It Is: MK Rothman’s Judicial Selection Bill (a.k.a. ‘Regime Revolution’), by David Israel/Jewish Press, February 8, 2023